Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green rider Adam Cianciarulo will be on the gate for the entire 2013 AMA Pro Motocross season with today’s announcement that the 16-year-old rider will make his professional debut on May 18th at Hangtown. Cianciarulo will race for one of the most decorated teams in AMA motocross history as he joins the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki stable riding the No. 292 Kawasaki KX250F.

“I can’t wait for the season to start,” said Cianciarulo. “This is something I’ve been dreaming about since I saw my first ever supercross race when I was 4 years old. To be able to race for Mitch Payton and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team is an honor. I am looking to learn a lot this year because everyone knows how good this team is and I know my job is to put more number one plates on the door of the truck.”

Cianciarulo is following in the footsteps of some of the greatest riders in the history of the sport as he makes the transition from Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green to race professionally. While an amateur, the Port Orange, Fla. native became the winningest mini-bike rider in the history of the AMA Amateur Motocross National Championships at Loretta Lynn’s with 11 championships. After winning four titles at Loretta’s in the last two years, Cianciarulo put his name in the record books ahead of superstars like Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto.

“Adam is a testament to Kawasaki’s Team Green amateur racing program,” said Senior Manager of Kawasaki Racing Reid Nordin. “Like many supercross and motocross champions, Adam has grown up on green and I am excited to see how he continues to mature as a professional.”

Cianciarulo last raced his KX250F at the Monster Energy Cup in October in the Amateur All Star class where he finished second overall after finishing fifth in the first race and winning the second race. Following the Monster Energy Cup, Cianciarulo was injured and did not return to riding until February of this year. Since then he has been training to achieve his goal of lining up at the 2013 AMA Pro Motocross opener at Hangtown.

“Obviously we have been watching Adam for a long time,” said Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Mitch Payton. “He is a special kid who will bring a lot to the team this summer. I know he has been working hard all spring to get ready to race and we are going to provide him with the best equipment on the track. It will also help him to have veteran teammates like Blake (Baggett), Martin (Davalos), Dean (Wilson) and Tyla (Rattray) who can help him as he makes the jump to professional racing.”

Cianciarulo will line up on the gate for his professional racing debut on Saturday, May 18 at the series opener in Hangtown / Sacramento